Roanapur Knights: Learning Curve
by Dr Gonzo
Summary: Some of the Scooby Gang still do not understand how dangerous Roanapur can be.
1. Learning Curve

**Roanapur Knights - Learning Curve **

**Author:** B.H. Ramsay

**Disclaimer:** Characters appearing here belong to Mutant Enemy & Funimation Entertainment  
**Rating** Teen

**Spoilers:** none

**Summary:** Some of the Scooby Gang still do not understand how dangerous Roanapur can be.

* * *

There weren't many places like U.G. Pork in the world, let alone in Roanapur. A tall imposing structure, squat and nondescript located in a darkened section of town. A few random lights scattered erratically around the building managed to CREATE more shadows and gloom then they dispelled. The entire effect served one purpose only, to make sure anyone and everyone was already in a state of extreme nervous tension BEFORE they encountered the person who unquestionably ruled here, the body disposal expert and occasional bounty hunter, Fredericka Sawyer known to those who even knew she existed at all as Sawyer The Cleaner.

Sawyer carried a wriggling burlap bag through the secluded hallways; undisturbed by the bag's frenzied screaming. She kicked open a metal door dragging the bag to the center of the killing floor, a stark white tiled room covered in gore and the blood of the various people, and there had been many, who had been unlucky enough to end their time in Roanapur in this room.

Sawyer unceremoniously dumped the contents on the floor, a young man fall from the bag struggling against the bonds holding his hands and feet.

"I said I was sorry." He pleaded "I'm really, really sorry."

Sawyer gazed at him silently a feral grin on her face. Making sure the young man could see her every move, she picked up a large knife which she used to cut through the boy's clothing. She quickly stripped him of his clothes.

"Look just let me explain ... it was an accident a glitch anyone could have screwed up but if you let me fix it."

Sawyer's turned her sour face and shook her head silently. She began donning a set of full surgeon's scrubs. She slowly and deliberately pulled on a set of heavy rubber gloves.

A young brunette entered the room. her arrival sent a shudder of relief though the struggling boy.

"Faith, come on Faith - you aren't going to let her do this?"

"Andrew when you came here, I warned you - everybody warned you. Roanapur isn't like the outside world. Bad things can happen to people who do stupid things and you did a very, very stupid thing."

Andrew Wells watched as Sawyer the Cleaner prepared her most lethal instruments. As she moved about the room, she would occasionally cast baleful looks at Andrew.

"Faith, you realize she's going to kill me?"

"She'd have good reason Andrew you broke a cardinal rule in this city, one nobody who's still breathing has ever broken."

"Tell her I can fix it just give me a chance - I can totally fix it."

Sawyer paused, she seemed to be considering her options.

Faith owed it to her her fellow Scooby. She was all for throwing a scare into someone but the tortures Sawyer was capable of unleashing on Andrew were far and away worse then the infraction.

"You do realize, he might be the only one who can fix this quickly," Faith reminded Sawyer, "anyone else ... it might be a while. It might be a long while before it gets sorted out."

Sawyer paused, growling in frustration.

Faith laid a sympathetic hand on her shoulder, "I get that you are pissed with him and you have every good reason. All I ask is twenty four hours, just give him a day to fix it. After that if he still hasn't fixed it well..." she let the sentence trail off.

Sawyer looked at Andrew with a savage grin on her face. Andrew's imagination told him exactly what fate would hold in store for him if he failed to undo his mistakes.

"Andrew, you promise to fix Sawyer's voice machine?" Faith asked.

"Yes!" He screamed as he cowered on the floor watching The Cleaner who seemed reluctant to surrender her prey.

"...And you promise you will never touch her voice machine ever again without her permission."

"I am so, so very sorry I did that."

"...And you will remove all traces of Autotune from her voice machine."

"It will be like it was brand new I swear."

"**If you don't - this will be the last thing you ever hear.**" Sawyer hissed in the distorted pitches her auto tune corrupted Mechanical Larynx forced her to speak in.


	2. words of wisdom

In dark room deep in the meat packing district, a group of mixed beings huddled under a light arguing. OK one of their member , a youthful looking arrogant guy who had decided that his new life as a vampire merited a new name a more powerful label befitting his status and power. was doing a lot of shouting.

"I'm telling you people this situation could be perfect."

"Barry would you just let it go." one of the others sighed, "you've been moaning about this for nights now."

"The name is not Barry, it's Talon and Why are we taking so much crap from a bunch of gangsters I mean theres only one or two Watchers and the Slayers they have are half trained."

"One of those Watchers is Xander Harris, things older and more powerful then anything in this room have tried killing him and NOT lived to regret it. and the Slayers they have fight like animals. I mean they're brutal. I saw one beat a dude I was running with like he was a pinata."

"Fine the Watchers and Slayers might be a problem but why are we running scared of a couple of crime bosses. They're mortals ... as in OUR FOOD. We should be running this place, not running scared."

"I've been hearing things about this Balalaika and That guy Chang ... I hear some of the dragon lords in Hong Kong get really nervous when his name comes up, won't even spit in the direction of this city, and they pretty much run the Chinese Triads."

"So some dusty old lizards hit the panic button cause they see their own shadows and we have to live on scraps?"

"I'm hearing a lot of talk Barry; but no Option B, What's your plan?"

"I managed to get a couple of thralls, cannon fodder, I sent them out and in a few hours this Chang is gonna know who's calling the shots. You might want to get started learning to call me Lord Talon from now on cause I'll be running things around here."

The Table went silent. "You , You made a move on Chang as in Boss Chang ...of Fourteen K, Boss Chang?"

"He's an old guy with a John Woo fetish, I doubt my people will have any real problems with him."

There was a loud banging at the door everyone looked up nervously. Talon looked at them and smirked. "That will be my guys, anyone who wants in on my new syndicate will want to pay attention cause this is what happens to people who cross Lord Talon."

Barry opened the door and a silver haired guy in a trench coat walked in yanking a large sack which he threw, with great difficulty, on the table. it made a wet sound as it hit the surface.

"Good evening Ladies and Gentle-beings, I am Rotton, Rotton the Wizard ... I come on behalf of Fourteen K and its leader Boss Chang."

"You may call me Lord Talon I assume you are bringing their terms of surrender. and what's this - a tribute?"

"No those are the heads of the guys you sent to kill the boss. that took him about two hours and I think most of that time was spent on finding a big enough bag."

Barry gulped but mustered his courage, "...So is this a declaration of war because if your little human master thinks..."

Rotton held up his hands, "I'm just the driver and spokesperson. Mister Chang realizes that some of you might be new to the idea of working together for our mutual best interest so he is willing to overlook anyone stupid enough to associate with Talon here; Sorry, LORD Talon."

One of the other people at the table looked inside the bag and what he saw caused him to violently throw up.

Rotton opened the door, "Mister Chang will allow anyone who leaves right now to live unmolested. Anyone still here when I leave however, will be considered to be at war with Fourteen K and be dealt with appropriately."

Several people got up from the table and filed through the door leaving Barry on his own. "Are you all nuts, he's just one man - are you all scared of one old man?"

Rotton looked at Barry and shook his head sadly before following the departing group closing the door behind him.

Suddenly the room which had seemed so bright only minutes before held nothing but shadows, there were shadows upon shadows and Barry looked around nervously He heard a rustling.

"You don't scare me, I'm Lord Talon. You think I need those losers I can do this on my own."

A whistling sound was all the warning he got as a body dropped from the rafters landing on him; driving him to the floor.

He looked into icy cold dark eyes that burned into his even as a savage smile bisected her entire face. "Hello LORD Talon. My name is Shenhua. Chang say make example, best we be on first name basis. We're going to be together for a while - you and I."

* * *

The following morning found Xander dealing with two annoying things, one was a hangover, served him right for trying to keep up with Eda in a drinking contest, the other was an overexcited VI.

"Xander the vampire was still alive when we found him." Vi was complaining, "I'm no vampire-lover but what this Shenhua did to him was ...wow."

Xander downed two pills washing them down with a glass of OJ. "Vi there is an old song that fits this situation. You don't tug on Superman's cape. You don't piss into the wind. You don't mess around with old King Kong and you don't send ONLY a half dozen guys to try and kill Boss Chang and make him late for his qoute-unquote _business dinner_ with Balalaika."


	3. Heart's Desire

AN - Not funny this time but still, something that wouldn't let me go.

* * *

The demon shivered on the floor. The chains binding her reeked of magic, from the stench, a powerful witch. One who had gone to a great deal of trouble for she was also in her natural form. Her horns, tail, and wings; Expressions of her power that remained invisible until and unless she wished to appear in all her glory, were plainly visible as was the mauve colour of her flesh. She tested the bindings but they held fast against all her strength.

The Slayer glared at her with hungry eyes. Not for sex though, no the hunger in this one spoke of darker appetites. Appetites whetted by pain and suffering that the demon knew all too well. Slaves always knew their own kind and like all slaves, when given even a taste of power, invariably they yearned to know the pleasure of inflicting it upon another.

Maybe that was why she so enjoyed being a succubus, her particular method of inflicting that torture made her victims beg and even plead for more.

"Come sister," she whispered, "No need for all this fuss, set me free I will give myself to you willingly. All my power, all that is mine to command will be at your beck and call."

"Silence creature, you have nothing to offer me nothing to tempt me with." she spoke Russian but it was with a peasant's tongue. Taken as a child then, barely taught to read and write.

"Free me and I will teach you of the world, the real world not the limited view your slave masters have..."

The fist was swift and painful she heard the wet crunch of the blow and watched as her blood puddled on the floor. She had barely even seen the Slayer's hand move.

"I have no master Demon. I have a Captain and you live or you die by her word."

"So, still a slave, just found a term that better suits your peasant's mind. Still bending knee to some cowardly wretch..."

The punch came even faster this time, accompanied by a knee to the face. The Slayer watched in seeming fascination as her caved in nose set itself though not before another spurt of blood fell to the floor.

"Her name is Balalaika, I am not her slave. I am her soldier."

"A free man chooses - a slave obeys. A soldier doesn't choose who to fight and kill, another directs them. You Are A Slave and you always will be."

"Then pray my Captain chooses a quick death for you. I will pray she orders me to make you suffer - we'll see whose prayers the Gods are listening to tonight."

A door opened and the succubus saw a tall dark haired male enter. The woman's entire being changed in an instant, the dark hunger for torture fell away to be replaced by a worshipful adoration.

"Release me Captain, your slave has no right to hold me." she screeched.

"I'm not the Captain, Bella isn't a slave and you've made a mess that I have to clean up."

"So you send your slaves to attack me."

"They aren't slaves, not anymore. I helped free them they're Slayers free to make their own way. I'm just their Watcher."

"Call them what you wish - _Watcher _- I know a slave's devotion to a master when I see it and I see it in her eyes."

Xander glanced at Bella and sighed. "...Yeah well we're still working on that. I'm here to ask you formal-like if you can release a soul you've taken."

"I've had many souls, Watcher; men, women even a Watcher once ... I gave him pleasures beyond his darkest imaginings. Release me and I might reward such a kindness in like fashion for you. Your slave ... sorry _slayer ... can even join us if you wish ... _"

"The soul belonged to a man. His name was Sergei Lebenov. You met him at the Goofest and seduced him and eventually had your way with him. now do you still have the soul or is it already gone?"

The succubus sounded bored, "Sergei is in hell. as befits all who surrender to their passion, all who give themselves to me. He begged for my touches and even when he knew it would kill him, he still longed for me as all men do."

"Yeah, I'm guessing that explanation won't wash for Sergei's boss. As far as she is concerned you took what doesn't belong to you and made the situation worse by killing Sergei in the process."

"Men give their essence to me. I don't steal it, you all prostrate yourselves at our feet begging for our kisses. DO you feel anger at a tiger who stalks its jungle for leaping on fat tender beast. The human heart is my jungle; human souls my prey. Sergei was particularly fat and tender. Although, I can tell from here you are just as sweet. Come Watcher-man; send the child away so that we adults may ... converse."

"Look lady I'm trying to help you here. If you have the soul or know how it can be released from the pit NOW, right now - would be the time to give with the information otherwise I can't say what she'll do to you."

"You're whining like you're afraid Watcher. there is nothing I need to fear from any mortal. Even one who is aware like you. Do your worse I'll endure it."

"It's not my worst you have to worry about honey it's hers. Trust me sister just tell me you can get Sergei's soul back and I can get you out of this."

"Sergei is gone, he is in hell. That is the bargain. carnal delights, his heart's desire. To dumb it down Watcher I become the woman of his dreams ... He fucks the the woman of his dreams ... I collect his essence and extend my life and Hell gets his soul, simple."

Xander shook his head, "No not simple, cause the woman of his dreams, the woman he was crushing on is the head of Hotel Moscow and Sergei was one of her best guys, she knows what you did and she is pissed off about it - really really pissed."

"IF she longed for him she should have sated his lusts, they were considerable I assure you. He tasted so very sweet."

The door opened again admitting a tall blond. The demon stiffened she knew the face of this woman even if she did not know WHO she was. this face was the face that Sergei had hidden deep in his heart, the face of the one he lusted for; a lust he hid from everyone.

"I can tell from the look in your eyes Wretch that no introductions are necessary. you know who I am and I know what you are." She said in a thick Russian accent

The she demon had never heard such cold steel in the voice of a mere mortal before. this wasn't just some wretched scarred warrior. She was a wolf. the succubus had violated one of the oldest rules of nature; one the universe itself ordained. These Russian ex-soldiers were cubs under the protection of this snarling she-wolf and the succubus had taken one of the those cubs.

The woman turned to the Watcher, "Well?"

"She says the soul is gone but I've been in this business too long to believe that. there is always a back door, some out clause maybe if we bargain with her master, whoever that is, they'll cough up the soul ...for a price."

"Her safety?"

Xander shook his head "She sounds like a pro and good earners are hard to find but they can be found. Whoever is holding her leash wont care."

The woman nodded, "Top earners gain prestige and status granting them greater power and privilege. If she was unable to make her tribute she'll be punished. Have I gotten it about right?"

Xander nodded, "As oversimplifications of ancient metaphysical concepts go , that's not too bad."

"It seems Hell runs like organized crime. Bella take Mister Harris with you outside I will call for you when I need you."

Xander looked at the demon sadly before following Bella into the hallway. When the door closed Balalaika turned her cold gaze on the creature before her.

The she-demon decided pretend bravery was better then cringing, "Balalaika - is it? Sergei called out the name once, at all other times it was ma'am and miss and even Captain."

"He understood respect. He did not allow his schoolboy crush to interfere with his duties."

The demon taunted her, "He did not feel like a school boy as I rode him. That was a man's passion I felt inside me, a man's power ... but I suppose you would know nothing of such things."

"It is true I place a high importance on restraint, both for myself and my subordinates ..." Balalaika pounded on the door "But sometimes especially when someone attacks that which you hold most dear, you have to let yourself go."

Bella reentered the room, she was carrying a hacksaw with her.

Balalaika looked at the demon speculatively "I'll want the horns, the tail and the wings when you are done. Do as you like with her but I want her still alive when you are finished, am I clear Bella?"

The Slayer nodded and cracked her knuckles as she march toward the she-demon. "For Sergei." Bella hissed.

Indeed," Balalaika whispered, "For Comrade Sergei."

* * *

Xander was waiting for her outside. standing with him, yet another new face, named Kennedy, of all things. Balalaika decided on instinct not to like her mostly because Kennedy's flinching as the demon's pitiful cries echoed out into the hallway annoyed the Russian Mob Boss.

"I appreciate your taking the time to send your people to retrieve her for me." Balalaika said to Xander, "please express my thanks to Miss Rosenberg for insuring the chains could hold her."

Another cry came from the room louder this time. "I'm guessing that's the horns." Xander grimly reported.

"...Ah no offence lady but is that really necessary?" Kennedy snapped.

"Yes it is, she harmed one of my subordinates, my men. Everyone in town knows what price that particular sin carries ... As does Mister Harris."

Another scream came from the room, this one was pretty high and loud. "That will be the wings." Xander deadpanned.

"What about Lebenov, Seems like he couldn't keep it in his pants so youre taking it out on the demon."

Balalaika stepped in close to Kennedy who reacted as most did when seeing her scarred face so very close up, "...And just what punishment do you see as appropriate for her crimes."

"It just seems cruel to me if you hack her up she can't transform, she cant heal herself she'll be helpless even against ordinary humans and the pain from her wounds ... she'll be in agony."

Balalaika nodded with icy calm, "Indeed that is the point, I want people to see what happens to those who molest solders under my command. I want people to witness the extent of my mercy by seeing her defiled and deformed body." Balalaika pointedly dismissed Kennedy as she tended to do whenever any of the Slayers got preachy.

She turned to Xander who was looking sad. The screaming started again accompanied by sobbing. "... and there goes the tail." Xander muttered.

Balalaika caught his attention. "When Bella is done you can take the creature back to Rowan's whorehouse. Tell Rowan she can remain in the club but she isn't to dance or have any contact with any customers until I say different."

"So first you carve her up, now your going to starve her." Kennedy asked. "How long are you planning on holding this grudge."

Balalaika rounded on Kennedy, fury brightening her cold eyes, "That thing took advantage of one of MY people, she killed one of MY people and she did it by fucking him to death while wearing my face. Don't you dare call this a goddamn grudge. In this town, that's a declaration of fucking war." Balalaika turned on her heel, "Personally I think I'm showing rather a lot of restraint right now. As amusing as I find these encounters I have business. I have to make preparations for Sergei."

Kennedy watched her walk away "Xander why are we letting her do this?"

"Kennedy if something happened to Willow , how far would you go to even up the tally."

The screams and thuds had finally stopped. The door opened and Bella left the room, a blood soaked bag in her hands.

Kennedy watched as Xander exchanged a few words in her native Russian before she marched off presumably to present Balalaika with her grim trophy.

"If that was her showing restraint I want see what happens when she is out of control pissed."

Xander glanced in the room and shuddered at what he saw, "Not on a full stomach you don't."


	4. Sexy Hacker Skillz

Rock and Xander watched as Bonnie, one of the Council's Techno-pagan's teleconferenced with master Hacker Janet Bhai. Each girls' face was a tiny box on the computer screen in front of Benny.

"Do you know what they are saying?" Rock asked out of the corner of his mouth.

Xander shook his head, "I have trouble setting up my cell phone to receive e-mail and you want me to translate what two elite hackers are techno-babbling at each other? They could be flirting or fighting for all I know."

Benny smiled confidently "They got the pissing match out of the way before they breached the second firewall the flirting was done by the time they cracked the Wolfram and Hart D-base, I think they're all the way to planning the first get-together now." Benny hissed as he watched his girlfriend work with the techno-witch.

"I spent six months trying to get Bonnie to take a break and socialize and Jane talks her into some kind of weird threesome in less then an hour?" Xander complained.

"Never underestimate the erotic power of awesome hacker skillz." Benny smirked, there was a sudden beeping from the computer.

"Did they find anything?" Rock asked.

"Oh yeah you bet your sweet ass we found something," Janet smirked, "how about the time and location of a shipment worth a lot of money to Wolfram and Hart"

"Why's it so valuable?"

" ... 'Cause They're being paid a lot to make sure nothing happens to it." Bonnie replied.

Xander smiled, "Check the calender cause I think it might be Christmas."


	5. Genre Love  Roanapur Style

Xander was pulling his hair out in frustration. A sight that had everyone else giggling. Yellowflag had been shot up during another fight but amazingly it was infamous introvert Andrew Wells who had been at the heart of the battle.

"Andrew was your near death experience with Sawyer not enough of a clue, this is not a town for casual conversation you have to be careful."

"He started it " Andrew snapped He was obviously unrepentant.

"HE is a guy with a gun, I don't care how wrong his opinions are. You don't start arguments with guys with guns and you don't do it in the Yellowflag "

Andrew glared a Xander, "Look me in the eye Xander you tell me that you think Greedo shot first and I'll apologize right now. Go on, say the words; say Greedo-shot-first."

Xander threw up his hands, "...Of course Han shot first. You know that, I know that but is it really worth getting shot in bar fight for."

"I'm sorry I'm not backing down from this." Andrew said defiantly.

"Relax boytoy," Faith giggled, "You can't really say you live in Roanapur until you've started crap in Bao's bar."

"I think it was kind of ballsy." Revy laughed.

"Says the woman who made it worse by setting off that whole Picard Versus Kirk thing ." Xander sighed.


End file.
